


Kim Kibum and the half-blood demon prince

by shunkey



Category: SHINee
Genre: Choi Minho - Freeform, Jongyu mentioned, M/M, mind control but just for funs, talk of hell/underworld
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-16 20:15:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21277061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shunkey/pseuds/shunkey
Summary: Taemin is a sheltered half-blood demon prince who escapes to Earth to reconnect with his human nature. A nice stranger saves him from committing crimes against fashion (or tries to).





	Kim Kibum and the half-blood demon prince

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Taemin is a demon who has grown bored of life in the Underworld. He decides to pay a visit to Earth to see what it's all about and along the way he meets [member of choice] a charming and sweet human who he ends up falling in love with.  
Genre: Supernatural, Fantasy, Humor
> 
> So many ideas, so little time... hope you enjoy!

*****

Taemin had been walking around the city for a while, feeling lost.

Taemin. That’s the name he’s been using to introduce himself, his human name. It felt weird, only his mother had called him that before. While he was in the Underworld he was usually referred to as “His Majesty” by his subjects. The rest of his family barely called him at all.

He had no idea what to do in this big city and had been trying to approach a few people, only to get weird looks in response as they walked right past him. He scanned their thoughts⎼ a mixture of “freak” and “scary” in a variety of languages. Were humans more receptive to his demonic nature than he had anticipated? It would be a problem if it was going to be like this the whole time.

He walked alongside the river, looking at the people walking past; most of whom were absorbed in their music, phones, and conversations. He cursed at his human nature. He had taken after his mother’s shyness, and after being rejected by a few people his confidence in mastering life on Earth had started to waver.

He sighed, feeling annoyed at himself. All his brothers and sisters were full demons and had never felt the need to interact with the puny humans. They had never understood his desire to know more about them⎼ being the youngest and only one conceived out the rare occurrence a living being had been able to access the Underworld unharmed.

His feet stopped as he reached the front of a big building, swarms of people going in and out of it. He looked up at the big sign, “Musee d’Orsay” written in bold white letters against a red background. He knew about museums. They held a lot of things from human history and arts, so he figured it could be a good starting point to study humans and learn something useful for his stay.

He walked past the doors, a young man standing at the gates. ‘Have you got a ticket, sir?’

Taemin turned to him, surprised to have been approached, but quickly understood the situation. ‘I don’t need one.’ He said, looking the boy in the eyes.

‘...right. Enjoy your visit.’ replied the boy with a confused look on his face.

Manipulating people like that was easy. Taemin had no care for money, he couldn’t understand why people had conceived such an evil object. A good number of the humans that ended up in the Underworld had committed something under the influence of money.

He looked around, walking past sculptures of half-naked human figures, not understanding what was so important about all of it. He caught a glimpse of a group of people who were listening attentively to a tall woman; she seemed to be explaining something. He approached the group silently and listened from behind while looking at the huge door-like sculpture. “The Gates of Hell” was the name, and Taemin followed curious as the guide explained the various figures that decorated it.

'Bullshit. Nobody cares who you love or fuck, in Hell.' Taemin muttered under his breath, slightly offended by such a huge misconstruction. How could humans get it so wrong?

'Is that what they’re talking about?'

Taemin turned to the source of the voice, looking up to a man with sharp features standing next to him.

'You couldn’t hear?' Taemin asked the stranger.

'I can hear all right, but Russian isn’t my first language, you see.' the stranger replied with a sarcastic tone. Taemin had forgotten languages were a thing, but thankfully the smile on the man’s face suggested he hadn't taken offence at his question. 

'Oh, right. Well, apparently,' Taemin explained as they both moved in front of the sculpture as the group walked away, 'these two here, Paolo and Francesca, went to hell because they fell in love and kissed even though they both were married to other people.' He paused for a second to admire the sculpted figures up close before continuing. 'That’s very incorrect, marriage is just a human construct and it means nothing in Hell.'

The stranger chuckled. 'I happen to agree, but I would be careful talking about this stuff if I were you. There’s all kinds of people here.' 

Taemin didn’t really understand what the stranger meant by it, but decided not to question. 

‘Uhm- are you here for fashion week?’

Taemin got startled that the stranger was still talking to him. ‘Uh, no? What’s that?’ 

The man looked embarrassed. ‘Ah, nothing. Because of your clothes⎼ I just assumed. Sorry.’ he replied, finger scratching his hair. 

Taemin looked at his clothes. His private parts were well covered since that seemed to be the thing humans took the most care to cover up in every culture. As for the rest, he’d seen so many different styles from the people who arrived in the Underworld that he assumed it didn’t really matter, and went for something he liked. 

‘What do you think of my clothes?’ Taemin asked, trying to understand if he had assumed right. At this point, he wasn’t so sure.

‘If “just came out of a satanic meeting” or “about to collect your soul” is the style you were going for, I’m not going to judge. I’ve seen my fair share of niche fashion.’

Taemin guessed his taste was more like his father than he thought. ‘That’s rather appropriate then, considering Satan is my boss.’

The stranger looked at him and exploded in laughter. Taemin looked at him fascinated⎼ the sound of his laugh had something that reminded him of home, it put his heart at ease. The stranger patted him on the arm as his loud cackling calmed down and he caught his breath.

‘Oh, wow. That was funny! I can definitely relate.’

Taemin looked at the other man, small dimples decorating his still smiling face. Why was he not avoiding him like everybody else? He had even made him laugh, though he was not completely sure why.

‘Are my clothes the reason why people have been avoiding me?’ he wondered out loud.

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case.’ the stranger replied, chuckling.

He decided to test the waters. ‘I’m Taemin, by the way. And you...?’

‘So you are Korean.’

‘Technically, in part. Yes.’ 

Taemin knew nothing about Korea. Growing up, grasping the fact that he was part human had been difficult enough.

‘I’m Kibum. “Technically”?’

‘Kibum…’ Taemin debated internally for a moment and decided to go for it. He could always erase his memory if things went wrong. ‘Do you have time for a story?’

Kibum fished his phone from his coat pocket and checked the time. ‘Sure.’

Taemin gestured towards a bench on the side of the room and walked towards it, Kibum following him. They sat down, taking a moment to look around the spacious and bright room, people walking past immersed in the artworks.

‘Lee Hyun Mi was just your average woman from Seoul. She wasn’t rich, but she wasn’t poor either. Her family treated her well. She was a bit shy, but she loved dancing. Many men wanted to marry her, attracted by her dancing, but she refused everyone. Even when she turned thirty and her parents were getting increasingly worried about her future, she kept refusing all her marriage proposals. She kept saying she knew her destiny reserved something special for her. And one day she just showed up in Hell. No one knows how she did it, and she would swear she had no recollection of how she ended up there. Nobody in Hell could tell if she was telling the truth or not, for they could not read her mind. If it was a lie, that would mean she was smart enough to trick the creatures of Hell, which would be an impressive feat, so they granted her stay. One of the Kings of Hell found her charming and spent countless hours watching her dance to the infernal beats, until one day she invited him to dance with her.

From their union, the only half-demon half-human of royal blood was born and she named him Tae Min. The young half-blood demon grew up not understanding why he was so different from everyone else. His half-siblings couldn’t relate to him and distanced themselves. His royal blood didn’t permit him to interact with the lower ranks or the common humans that arrived in Hell. His mother told him stories of the human world, but he wasn’t allowed to go there either, and grew frustrated with his lack of understanding. He would sneak off to speak with all kinds of humans⎼ they might have committed terrible things while alive, but all had interesting stories to tell. Until one day he grew tired of just hearing stories about Earth and decided to make a trip of his own. He ran away, and soon after he found himself walking into a museum.”

Taemin looked at Kibum, who sat chin on his hand, an unreadable expression on his face. 

‘So… what do you think of this story?’ Taemin asked, suddenly self-conscious. 

Kibum hummed in thought. ‘I’d say that you should go ahead and write a book, sounds like a good premise. You should develop the character of the mother, she’s interesting.’

Taemin sighed. ‘Would you believe me if I told you this is my real story?’ He could see Kibum raising an eyebrow. 

‘Well, no. Who in their right mind would?’

Taemin was at a total loss on how to approach the subject. He hadn’t planned on actually talking about any of it while on Earth, but being away from his usual environment and having felt rejected from most people had made him yearn for someone to share his truth with. Had he been wrong in trusting this stranger? He decided to take a look into Kibum’s mind just to try and understand what the other was thinking. 

_ ‘He’s so weird’ _Yeah, he’s heard this one already.

_ ‘His side profile’ _What about it? The thought was incomplete, he couldn’t figure it out.

_ ‘Is he going to murder me?’ _He’s off work, thank you very much.

_ ‘Looks like an angel…’ _How would a human know what an angel looked like? Those are some freaky looking beings. He looked like a human, that’s it.

The thoughts were not helping, but at least he was sure Kibum wasn’t going to be too difficult to deal with.

‘But I guess it would explain the clothes.’

‘Huh?’ Taemin was pulled from his other thoughts.

‘Your story, it would explain this… interesting outfit.’ Kibum clarified. ‘But if you are a demon, at least dress like a fashionable one. So many options to explore. Personally I prefer a vampire vibe, but I guess both vampires and demons have some common points. No frills on demons though, a shame.’ Kibum rambled on.

‘I literally have no idea what that means.’ Taemin interceded, stopping Kibum’s aimless talk. 

‘I figured.’ snorted Kibum. 

‘Can you show me, then?’ 

‘What?’ Kibum asked for clarification.

‘How humans think a demon should dress.’

Kibum covered his mouth in silent laughter. ‘Humans! Wow, alright, you’re really in character.’ Taemin chuckled together with him even though he couldn’t see what was so funny about it. He just enjoyed Kibum’s laugh.

‘Alright demon, let’s get you some new demon clothes. What’s your budget?’

‘My what?’

Kibum rolled his eyes upwards. ‘How much money can you spend?’

‘Money doesn’t matter to me.’ Taemin replied.

‘King of Hell daddy provides, I should have supposed.’ Kibum commented before asking for confirmation. ‘You sure?’ 

Taemin nodded, he really didn’t care. 

‘I won’t hold back then.’ Kibum continued, getting up and making his way towards the exit. Taemin followed him closely, breathing in the fresh autumn air. The day looked a bit brighter than before he entered the museum.

‘You mock me, but I’ll show you that I’m not lying.’ Taemin said, slightly bothered that Kibum wasn’t taking him seriously. They got into a taxi and Kibum gave an address.

‘So, what kind of powers do demons have? Aren’t you supposed to be evil?’

‘Why would we be evil if we punish bad people? We judge everyone fairly.’ Taemin answered. Humans had so many misconceptions of the Underworld.

‘Oh, I never thought about it like that, but it makes sense, I guess.’ Kibum scratched at his head.

Taemin continued his explanation. ‘As for powers, they’re kinda varied but the ability to go anywhere at will, mind reading, and mind control are common to everyone; that’s how we “possess” people⎼ that’s the term I’ve seen humans use. Shapeshifting is another one, but I can’t use it freely like my siblings. Because of my half-human nature I’m bound to this body.’

‘Right.’ Kibum nodded following Taemin’s explanation. 

‘I can’t change appearance,’ Taemin continued, ‘however, I can change the age I look like.’

‘That sounds pretty cool anyways,’ Kibum observed, ‘I’d love to stay in my mid-twenties forever.’

‘Humans age so quickly, I do understand,’ Taemin agreed. 

‘Thank you for reminding me about that,’ Kibum sighed. ‘How old would you be really, then?’

Taemin frowned in thought. ‘I don’t know, honestly. My mother sometimes would mention King Jeongjo in the stories from her youth, if that is any indication… how long ago was that?’

‘Jeongjo of Joseon?’ Kibum pinched the bridge of his nose, with a suffering look. ‘Aah, my head hurts. Why am I in a car with you, again? I’ll just pretend I haven’t heard any of this.’

The car stopped on the side of a large road with trees running along each side. Taemin stepped out first, examining the expensive-looking avenue and Kibum joined him in admiring the postcard-worthy Parisian atmosphere.

‘My favourite boutique is here, I try to come every time I’m in Paris. I still hadn’t come this time so it’s just perfect⎼ you can buy me a piece too, since money doesn’t matter to you.’ Kibum cackled. 

They walked into the boutique and Kibum examined him from head to toe. 

‘You seem really lean but I can’t really tell with… what you’ve going on here.’ Kibum said with a pained expression. He turned around and riffled through a stack of clothes, selecting a few. ‘Okay, try these pants here. To know that they’re your size you must make sure that they close properly here. If they’re too long it doesn’t matter, but if the end shows your ankles at this height here they’re no good. Got it?’

‘Uh, maybe.’

‘Go on, do your best.’

Kibum shoved him inside a large fitting room, and Taemin followed Kibum’s indications, trying two different sizes before he felt that the pants were the right fit.

‘You alright in there?’ Kibum’s voice echoed from outside. Taemin opened the fitting room’s curtain to find himself face to face with Kibum, who seemed to be startled by his bare torso. ‘Right,’ Kibum chewed on his bottom lip, ‘I need to find you a shirt.’ His eyes travelled downwards. ‘And of course you also seem to have perfect legs. This is a good fit, well done.’

Kibum gave him a last look and turned around to browse the stacks of clothes. Taemin chuckled under his breath; he might be naive in the ways of the world but he knew basic human needs⎼ he didn’t need to read Kibum’s mind to know that he found him attractive.

‘Try this one.’ Kibum handed him a shirt and Taemin slid his arms down its sleeves. 

‘I’m not used to buttons, help me out?’ Taemin asked, innocently. That wasn’t true of course, but he wanted to tease the other man a little. 

Kibum rolled his eyes, but gathered the two edges of the shirt and carefully closed each button without complaining, eyes focused on the task. ‘I have good eyes for sizes, this is perfect.’

Kibum made him try a few different outfits and finally selected a few, including a blazer that exposed his chest remarkably.

’Isn’t this too open? I feel like people don’t dress like this usually.’ Taemin asked, as both he and Kibum tried figuring out how the blazer closing worked. 

‘That’s true, but don’t worry,’ Kibum replied, ‘this isn’t for going for a walk with your dog. We’re going to need this later.’

‘Later?’ Taemin fixed the slim metal chain that decorated the upper edge of the blazer.

‘I did you a favour, so now I’m taking it back. You’ll be helping me out somewhere tonight.’ Kibum examined the complete look and smirked. ‘This is perfect.’

‘What are we going to do tonight?’ Taemin asked.

‘Work, honey.’

Taemin changed into a soft black turtleneck and a pair of skinny jeans that, according to Kibum, “accentuated his legs and highlighted his proportions”, throwing a light casual black jacket over it. Kibum had agreed beforehand with the saleswoman that Taemin could keep the outfit on and that they could dispose of his previous clothes right away.

They went to the counter where all the clothes Kibum had chosen for Taemin⎼ including a coat and bag for himself⎼ had been carefully folded and put inside fancy shopping bags, the saleswoman waiting with a ready check.

‘The total will be 6700€.’ She said with a composed smile. ‘Cash or card?’

Kibum looked at Taemin, eyebrows raised expectantly, and Taemin turned to the woman⎼ Nicole was her name according to the pin on her blazer⎼ and locked eyes with her. ‘I don’t think any of that is needed, Nicole. Are we free to go?’

The woman looked confused for a second, but her smile calmly came back. ‘Of course. Have a nice day.’

Kibum followed Taemin outside, a puzzled look on his face. 

‘Excuse me? What just happened there?’

‘I told you I don’t care about money.’

‘You can’t just NOT pay.’

‘Capitalism is a human construct that only favours the evil.’

‘Oh my god.’ Kibum massaged his temples as if to alleviate a headache, but then suddenly turned to him as if remembering something. ‘How did you do that anyway? I swear you’ve never bought clothes in your life, but it was as if she knew you or something.’

‘I told you I can manipulate minds, you won’t believe me.’ Taemin pouted. ‘I’ll just have to show you firsthand, I guess.’ He stopped walking and turned to Kibum. ‘Look at me, it’s slightly easier when you focus on me.’

Taemin caught Kibum’s eyes and accessed his mind to look for something he absolutely disliked, swatting away the surface thoughts⎼ that were mostly questioning Taemin’s sanity and fawning over Taemin’s eyes⎼ digging deeper into the unconscious. He smiled smugly as he found the perfect thing to use against Kibum and broke eye contact.

‘Was that it?’ Kibum asked, frowning. ‘I didn’t feel anything at all. Keep lying and I’ll drop you here, good luck finding someone as nice as me. And thank you for the bag!’

Taemin chuckled in anticipation. ‘Oh no, I just have the perfect plan now. Here, this way.’

Taemin guided Kibum towards a big shoe store that was on the corner of the next street and stopped by the entrance to lock eyes with Kibum once again.

‘Stop doing this, it’s really embarrassing⎼ uh, what?’

Taking control over Kibum’s mind, Taemin guided him inside the store.

‘Excuse me,’ Taemin spoke through Kibum to a man wearing the store’s uniform. ‘I am looking for a pair of UGGs and a pair of Crocs size 42.’

_ What? What is this, what are you doing? _ Kibum’s real voice echoed in Taemin’s mind as they followed the man through the aisles, picking up a pair of the soft brown boots first. _ Stop it, this isn’t funny. _

‘And for Crocs, we have different colours, which one would you prefer?’

‘Oh, I’d say lime green is lovely, what do you think?’ Taemin asked Kibum’s figure before replying to himself through the other’s voice. 

‘Oh, yes. Very.’ _ Oh god no. Stop it. _‘Can we pay right away?’

They walked to the till and Kibum handed the cashier a black credit card.

_ No, NO! Wait, that’s my work card, don’t use that one! I need to report all my expenses, how am I supposed to explain this one? _

‘You’re smart, you’ll figure something out.’ 

_ As soon as I get my body back I’m going to kill you. _Kibum muttered in Taemin’s head and kept cursing at him as Taemin walked them through back streets so that Kibum wouldn’t immediately run back to the store to get a refund. 

‘I don’t think that’ll work much.’

_ All right, fine. I believe you. I really do, I’m not lying. Can I get my body back now? _

Taemin let go of his control over Kibum and looked at the other man as he readjusted to his body, opening and closing his hand as if testing to be the one in control again. 

‘That was the weirdest shit, never do that again.’ Kibum groaned. ‘I mean it! Or I’ll abandon you here.’ he added when he noticed Taemin snickering. 

‘I’m not a puppy, you know?’ Taemin said, amused by Kibum’s panic at what had just happened.

‘You feel like one, though.’ Kibum sighed and Taemin suddenly regretted not being able to shapeshift like his siblings. 

‘What am I gonna do with these hideous shoes? I really need some food now. Let’s go.’

Kibum spotted a small Italian restaurant and they walked inside, sitting at a table which looked over the street.

‘Do you have a preference or do you want me to choose?’ Kibum asked him. Taemin had no idea of what was written on the menu actually was. 

‘You choose.’

He watched in admiration as Kibum made a gesture to the waiter with a smile and then proceeded to order a few different dishes without hesitation. When the waiter left, Kibum fished his phone from his pocket.

‘Give me a moment.’ He put the phone by his ear, waiting. 

‘Oh hi Minho, it’s me. You’re already there? I see. Listen, can you tell Graziano’s staff I’m bringing a plus one after all.’ Taemin watched entertained as Kibum shook his head in annoyance. ‘Not him, I told you I am over that guy. It’s someone else.’ Kibum stared at him. ‘I’m not with him, he’s just a pretty one. Alright. See you later.’ He closed the call and put his phone down on the table.

‘Who was that?’ Taemin asked, curious.

‘Minho? A friend, I still don’t know how that happened. He’s a soccer player and he’s friends with the fashion designer who’s hosting the party tonight. Right, I should be telling you a bit about that. And about the work that I do as well, I guess.’

‘You work in the fashion world, right? Writing for magazines, things like that.’ Taemin explained, to Kibum’s surprise. 

‘And how do you know?’

‘When I possess people I gain bits of information and memories from them. You were thinking about your job intensely when I took out the card, so that’s what I learned about, mostly.’

Kibum narrowed his eyes, suspicious. ‘What else did you see?’

Taemin looked upwards, trying to remember. ‘Not much. You really despise those shoes,’ Kibum laughed at the comment, ‘but the colour of the UGGs made you remember your dog. Cute poodle, by the way.’ 

‘Thank you.’ Kibum relaxed in his seat and smiled at the mention of his dog. ‘Anyway, yes you are right. I edit and write for fashion magazines, to put it simply. The event tonight is part of Paris Fashion Week⎼ which is why I’m here⎼ but it’s a pretty exclusive one that I got in mostly thanks to Minho. You must behave properly. Hmm…’ Kibum ran his fingers through his hair, in thought. ‘We could say that you’re an up and coming model. If they ask too much you could just do your mind thing.’ He tapped on the side of his head. ‘I’m sure they won’t question it though, you certainly look the part.’

The waiter arrived to the table with the appetizers and they started eating, Kibum humming in appreciation as he chewed on some fresh mozzarella. Taemin took a bite of the creamy cheese and covered his mouth in shock at the delicious fresh taste.

‘This is my first meal on Earth.’ Taemin realised suddenly.

‘You don’t eat in… Hell or whatever you call it?’ asked Kibum while biting a bruschetta.

‘Time works differently there. Plus, I’m an immortal being⎼ only here my body is subject to human laws. I mean, I don’t die if I don’t eat because technically I’m already from the afterlife… it’s confusing. I’d rather eat than not because⎼’

‘You know what,’ interrupted Kibum, ‘leave it. If I think about the religious and philosophical implications of what you’re telling me I’ll go crazy.’

Taemin chuckled. ‘Aren’t you curious?’

‘I already believe in God and I have my thoughts about it,’ Kibum smiled back at him. ‘And, as you said before, human lives are short. I will know soon enough.’

Taemin watched as Kibum dismissed his heavy words with a slight gesture of the hand, as he kept munching on the crusty bread. 

‘Your mind is interesting. I know, I’ve been inside it. You’re smart, the way your thoughts move is so much faster than any other human I’ve analysed since I’ve arrived.’ 

Kibum smiled and averted his eyes, embarrassed. ‘Oh, please.’

They finished their meal in a comfortable atmosphere, chatting lightly and having fun making up the details of Taemin’s fake life in Seoul.

‘You have a dog, right?’ Taemin asked Kibum as they made their way out of the restaurant. ‘Two, actually. I left them with a friend in Korea.’ Kibum scrolled on his phone and showed a picture of two poodles, the brown one that he had already seen, and another black one.

‘Cute! I want two dogs too! What should I call them?’ Taemin wondered. 

‘Something from the Bible. Adam and Eve?’ Kibum proposed, chuckling. ‘You know, to stay on topic.’ he laughed.

Taemin laughed together with him. ‘I like it.’

They called a taxi back to Kibum’s hotel, a large historical building right in the centre of Paris, complete with a massive door and bell boys that offered to help carry their shopping bags to his room, that Kibum dismissed kindly.

‘I’m not this rich, it’s just my company trying to impress certain people. I’ve been instructed to drop the name of where I’m staying as much as possible,’ explained Kibum. ‘I certainly won’t complain.’ he smirked, resting his hand on Taemin’s shoulder as they entered the elevator.

The most striking thing about Kibum’s room was not its luxurious spaciousness, its huge bed, or its gorgeous view over the Seine river⎼ but the copious amount of clothes scattered over every piece of available furniture, as well as a few piles of bags and shoes on the floor.

‘Sorry about the mess,’ Kibum said as they closed the door behind them, and set the shopping bags down. ‘It’s hard for me to plan outfits in advance, so I try to bring as much as possible. Just in case, you know.’ He started taking out the new clothes from the bag carefully one by one. ‘God, lunch almost made me forget about these horrendous shoes. I won’t forgive you easily.’

‘Oh, really? I thought that I’d been forgiven already, though?’ Taemin pouted cutely. Kibum glared at him. 

‘You are NOT. You’ll have to earn it tonight by making me look better than I already am.’

Taemin chuckled. ‘That won’t be easy then, I’ll have to try my best.’

Kibum snorted, embarrassed. ‘The bathroom is over there, wash up and get changed.’ 

He handed him the clothes he had chosen earlier at the boutique, and Taemin obliged, emerging from the bathroom sometime later after struggling with the shower handles for way too long. He didn’t even try to fix the weird blazer by himself and directly walked up to Kibum for help. Kibum expertly adjusted all the buttons and belts⎼ after he had finally figured them out in the fitting room earlier⎼ and then looked at the finished result in appreciation.

‘Are you still sure this doesn’t need something underneath?’ Taemin asked, running a hand through the gap that exposed part of his chest.

‘Very sure.’ Kibum answered, smiling. ‘Come here, I’ll fix your hair.’

Taemin sat down on a chair by the room’s large window and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of the hot air drying his hair and Kibum’s fingers brushing through it lightly, applying products and styling it.

‘Is this part of your job?’ he asked when he looked at the result, his black hair parted on the side to show a bit of his forehead.

‘No, just skills I picked up as a broke student to help on fashion shoots. Close your eyes and don’t move.’ Taemin followed the instruction and felt something damp move over his right eyelid. ‘Just putting a little bit of makeup to emphasize the all-black. Your eye shape is really pretty though, I don’t want to hide it.’ Kibum commented as he worked. ‘Ok, now don’t touch your eyes for any reason. I’ll be in the shower ten minutes, there’s a tv over there if you want, entertain yourself.’ he said and then rushed to the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

Taemin looked around the room, spotting a mirror by the closet, and moved in front of it to inspect what Kibum had done to his face. He let out a surprised “oh” as he looked at his eyes with makeup on for the first time. It was just a veil of a metallic grey-ish colour over his eyelid slightly above his crease⎼ but it was enough to give his face a different feeling from the usual. It might have been the knowledge he had acquired while possessing Kibum, but as he looked at himself in the new attire he really appreciated how he looked and felt attractive, laughing under his breath as he tried striking a sexy pose. He turned around, watching the cluttered room and discovering two large suitcases left open in a corner, the source of the overflowing clothes. Next to them was a desk, where a bunch of papers were spread beside a laptop which was open and running⎼ Kibum must have been doing some work while he was in the bathroom. Taemin smiled as he saw the background picture, a photo of Kibum laughing hard as he was assaulted by two very excited dogs, from what he could deduce by their blurry wagging tails. 

Taemin liked the way Kibum laughed, openly and without reserves. It was so different from his own, it was not easy for him to let himself go like that.

He sat down and started caressing the soft texture of the red jacket hanging on the back of the seat. Why was he so fascinated by this particular human? He was going to erase his memories eventually anyway, he was pretty sure there was a rule like that for contact with humans.

Was there? His stomach felt funny. Suddenly the idea didn’t appeal to him anymore. Why? He just wanted to experience life on Earth, the only thing he needed was his own memories, there was no reason for him to be remembered by humans.

As he pondered over his discomfort, Kibum finally stepped out of the bathroom, his appearance making Taemin completely lose track of his own thoughts. Black hair slightly falling over his forehead, black choker with small white stars decorating his slim neck, tight black pants, and a flimsy white shirt with a delicate white floral embroidery that left a good part of his chest exposed. Kibum had put some makeup on as well, a dark grey line which elongated his eyes, making a striking look.

‘Tell me what you think⎼ not that it matters considering your taste. Wait, let me add the blazer before you say anything.’ Kibum walked towards him grabbing the red blazer hanging on the seat, the soft fabric slipping under Taemin’s fingers. Kibum slipped his arms through the sleeves and moved to the mirror to look at himself. ‘Not bad, what do you say?’

Taemin had no useful comment, head running blank. ‘It’s nice.’

Kibum looked at him disappointed. ‘That’s all?’

‘Red looks good on you.’ Taemin added, earning a small smile from Kibum.

‘That’s better. You’re not just reading my mind, are you?’ Kibum replied, and after a second his eyes widened in shock as he processed his words. ‘You said you can read minds earlier. You… haven’t been listening to my thoughts this whole time… Have you?’

‘No, before arriving on Earth I decided that I should use my abilities as little as possible. You know, trying to live a human lifestyle.’ Taemin snickered at Kibum, who had put a hand on his heart in relief.

‘I’m glad. I was just worried you might have heard how much I think you’re an idiot. I don’t want to hurt your feelings.’ Kibum said, cooly.

‘Right.’

Kibum sat on the bed, looking towards him. ‘I want to try! I’ll think of something and you tell me what it is. Start listening only when I tell you to.’

‘Okay.’ Taemin said, amused.

‘I’m ready, go on.’

Taemin listened, a wave of _ fivefivefivefivefivefive _ invading his brain. 

‘You’re thinking of the number five.’

Kibum rounded his mouth in surprise. ‘Ooh. That was an easy one though, you could have guessed it. Let’s try with something that you can’t possibly know. Okay, go.’

Taemin listened again. ‘Who’s Jonghyun?’

Kibum clapped excitedly. ‘Oh!! Tell me the rest.’

‘You’re worried that he’s going to feed your dogs too much like he did with... Roo? You hope Jinki will stop him.’

Kibum laughed out loud. ‘Poor Roo, she was so round! Had to go on a diet. Roo is Jonghyun’s dog, he’s looking after my children while I’m away. Jinki is his boyfriend.’ He paused, calming down. ‘Wow, you’re the real deal.’

*****

Taemin followed Kibum closely as they walked out of their taxi into the entrance of an enormous villa which was in the middle of Paris but somehow seemed as if they had actually driven to the countryside. They took their coats off, which the staff of the event was ready to collect.

‘Like I explained to you before, I’m not here just as my magazine’s representative but also as a guest. You see that wall over there? We’re going to stop in front of it and they’re going to take some photos. You don’t need to do anything in particular, just follow their instructions. Okay? Let’s go.’ Kibum reminded Taemin for the third time that evening.

A dozen photographers stood at the photo station and started flashing as soon as they entered the room. Taemin turned to the right and to the left as instructed; after a few seconds of flashing, he felt Kibum’s fingers brush over his hand, before moving up to tug on his sleeve to signal it was their moment to leave.

They walked away from the spotlight, making their way to the reception room.

‘Well, the easy part is over. The hard one starts now.’ Kibum said, pointing to a group of people gathered near a bar counter. ‘Please, restrain your demon talk. No playing weird jokes. Oh, god. Why did I bring you, what was I thinking?’ 

Kibum seemed to have had a sudden change of heart. Taemin could feel his tension, it was obviously an important job to him. He turned to him, leaning in to reassure him a low voice. 

‘I don’t plan on telling anybody else but you,’ he caressed Kibum’s back, ‘don’t worry.’

‘Good.’ A slight blush appeared on Kibum’s cheeks. 

Seemingly reassured, he started walking again, waving his hand to someone by the bar. ‘Minho!’ he called out, and a tall man with tanned skin turned around, smiling brightly at Kibum.

‘Hey, Kibum!’ Minho moved to meet them, giving Kibum a strong side hug. ‘And you must be his pretty plus one?’ Minho extended his hand for a firm handshake.

‘I’m Taemin, nice to meet you.’

‘Minho here. Come along you two! I’ll introduce you to my friend Graziano. Ready?’ he asked addressing Kibum.

‘Born ready.’ Kibum replied, but despite his confident words, the deep breath he took revealed his nervousness. He put on a relaxed expression and followed Minho towards the group of people they had seen before. Minho introduced everyone one by one⎼ Taemin recognised the name of the designer and was careful to give his best smile, as Kibum had instructed him.

‘Kim Kibum, editor and columnist for Sense magazine Korea and Japan. I’m really looking forward to seeing your collection this evening, I have already reserved a review column for our next number. Your F/W was outstanding, I have high expectations.’

Graziano laughed out loud, pleased by Kibum’s enthusiasm. ‘Thank you, I’ll be looking forward to your review then.’ He gestured to the man behind the bar and then handed them a tall glass of something fizzy. ‘And your friend here?’ he turned to Taemin.

‘Lee Taemin, model. Very pleased to meet you.’

Graziano smiled. ‘Oh, a model. I can see that, perfect proportions. Have I seen you anywhere? Runways? Brands?’

‘Unfortunately, I am afraid not, sir. Compared to the average I’m quite late to the industry, as I was in my father’s business until recently. I’m also trying to work exclusively with ethical brands. In fact, I really appreciate your position on local production and your stance against fur and leather. I truly believe the future will reward people who care.’

Graziano listened to him attentively. ‘I appreciate that. Aren’t you a little too well-spoken to be just a model?’ he laughed and Taemin giggled with him as politeness. ‘I’m kidding, just old stereotypes. Well, it was nice meeting you, I look forward to seeing you two around. Any friend of Minho is a friend of mine. I hope you enjoy the show and stay for the party later.’ Graziano raised his glass in cheers and was soon busy chatting with other people.

Taemin turned to look at Kibum, who was watching him intensely. ‘Well, how did I do?’ he asked, smiling.

‘I never told you about his ethical stance.’

‘Oh, I just had a quick read of his mind. Seemed to be very proud about that so it jumped out. You might want to include it in your article, I’m sure he’ll love it.’ Kibum was still looking at him wide-eyed, lips slightly parted. ‘What, you still don’t believe me?’

‘No, I⎼ it’s nothing. I believe you, I told you already.’ Kibum replied, a small blush colouring his cheeks. ‘It just kinda hit me, that’s all. Are even still the same person from this morning? You’re learning way too fast, it’s scary.’

‘I have a good teacher.’ replied Taemin, at which Kibum chuckled lightly.

About an hour was spent like that, Taemin following Kibum closely as he greeted all sorts of people and discussed fashion details that weren’t of much interest to him, slowly growing more and more bored. He thought the show might be more interesting and excitedly sat down in his front-row seat next to Kibum, looking forward to its start⎼ only to be even more disappointed when he understood that it was going to be a whole hour of watching tall humans walk the same twenty feet over and over; he started spacing out as he watched clothes that he deemed not very much different from what he was wearing that morning. 

It might have been hours later, according to his internal clock, that he felt Kibum’s hand on his leg, nudging him lightly. Taemin leaned in, as Kibum turned his head to whisper in his ear.

‘Read my thoughts.’ Kibum’s low voice tingled in his body.

_ Are you listening? Tap your hand on your knee twice if you are. _

Taemin did.

_ Good. Now listen to me. If you keep making that face I’m gonna kill you. _

Taemin perked up on his chair, suddenly realising that he might’ve been on the verge of yawning and feeling guilty.

_ You think you’re cute? Well, you are. ...Shit, it’s hard regulating thoughts _ ⎼ _ don’t laugh! _

Taemin bit on his lip to control his amusement.

_ There’s only one thing that’s as bad as yawning at a fashion show, and that’s laughing at it. You were about to do both, thin ice here. Listen, I know this isn’t the most interesting thing to be doing on your first day on Earth. I’ve lost count of how many runways I’ve seen this past week, and all these clothes are looking like recycled garbage to me at the moment. But you know what. This is work, and I need this connection and the money and gifts it might bring me, so when I go home I’m going to write the best fucking article they’ll ever read. Blame capitalism. So sit up and look proper for twenty more minutes, will you? Over and out, get out of my head. _

Taemin straightened his back, but suddenly feeling mischievous he turned to Kibum, whispering back to him.

‘We’re both bored, so why don’t you entertain me some more with your thoughts? Or I might suddenly need to get up to go pee.’

Kibum gave him an icy glare, but nodded.

_ You seriously are a demon. What do you want me to say? That you’d look a hundred times hotter walking this runway right now than any of these people? I’m not gonna say it. Fuck, I just said it though. _

Taemin’s mind was flooded with an image of himself walking the runway. Looked pretty good.

_ Tell me you can’t see visual thoughts, please. God, this is so confusing I don’t know what he’s hearing… tap once if you didn’t see that, twice if you did. _

Taemin tapped twice. 

_ Oh well, now it’s out there. It’s true. Although you might be missing a few inches to be able to walk international runways. _ Kibum shifted in his seat. _ This thought thing requires so much more focus than I thought, I can’t concentrate properly on anything. _

Taemin suppressed a laugh; he should have felt bad for making Kibum stress, but he found it funny. He didn’t want him to get mad later, though, so he put his hand on Kibum's knee to catch his attention and leaned in to whisper in his ear again. ‘It's okay, you can relax. I'll stop listening now. I'll be good, don't worry.’

He squeezed Kibum's thigh lightly in reassurance and sat back. He kept his hand on Kibum's knee though, distracting himself by scratching at it and exploring the little bumps of bones with his fingers. There was something soothing about touching an alive human being.

The show ended soon after with great acclaim, Taemin taking a sigh of relief as he stretched his back. ‘Did I do well?’

Kibum looked at him with an exasperated smile. ‘You did. We can relax now, let's have a drink.’

The staff directed all the guests to a wide underground bar, where a Dj was already at work and the low flashing lights made it seem like they were in a nightclub rather than a villa. They approached the bar while it was still relatively quiet.

‘Have you ever had hard alcoholics?’ Kibum asked him. 

‘I don’t think so? You mean like the one earlier?’ Taemin asked back. 

‘Oh no, that was just a mild sparkling wine. Let’s start with the basics then.’ Kibum motioned to the bartender. ‘Two gin and tonic please.’

Taemin watched fascinated as the bartender took two bottles and without hesitation poured them into two short glasses filled with ice, completing the drink with a slice of lemon and handing it to them in the span of less than a minute. Kibum clinked their two glasses together. ‘Start with just a sip, then judge for yourself.’ Kibum said, taking a sip for himself and then stopping to watch as Taemin smelled his glass and tried his first sip. The taste was unusually strong and slightly bitter but it wasn’t unpleasant, and Taemin found he quite liked it⎼ but whatever face he had made as a first reaction must have been funny, as Kibum burst out laughing in front of him.

‘God, you’re so funny.’ Kibum wiped the corner of his eye, still cackling. ‘Oh, Minho! There you are. Did you get a drink yet?’

Minho approached them, shaking his head. Kibum turned to the bartender again, producing a different drink that he handed to the other man. ‘Hey, can I leave you two a moment? I’ve got to greet some people over there.’

‘Sure.’ answered Minho, and he and Taemin watched as Kibum moved towards the other end of the room, which was getting increasingly crowded.

‘So,’ Minho turned to Taemin, smiling. ‘How long have you and Kibum known each other?’

‘We met this morning, actually.’ Taemin answered honestly, and Minho widened his eyes in shock. 

‘This morning? You two act like you’ve known each other for a while. Well⎼ I don’t know you, obviously, but for Kibum that’s pretty rare. He takes a while to warm up to people.’ Minho chuckled and Taemin listened, curious. 

‘Really? He was the one who chatted me up, though? Maybe he was just trying to find someone to accompany him here.’ Taemin joked and Minho laughed but shook his head. 

‘Meeting Graziano here was too important to him, he wouldn’t have brought just anyone. And I heard you talk with Graziano earlier, you left a really good impression. I’m sure Graziano will ask for you in the future, he likes hiring people based on feelings. You know, Italians and their passion.’

‘Right.’ Taemin replied, pretending he understood what Minho was talking about.

A ringing noise came out of Minho’s pocket, and he quickly took out his phone and glanced at it, before looking at Taemin apologetically. ‘Sorry, gotta grab this one. Nice talking to you, catch you later!’ he said, and soon disappeared through the crowd.

Taemin was left alone sipping his drink to pass the time, ordering a second one when the first was over. He watched the growing crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kibum, but he was nowhere to be found. As the room filled up with people, the dj raised the volume of the music and a deep bass sound vibrated through his body, making him shiver. He watched as the people slowly started moving to the rhythm, some stiff and some loose in the embrace of alcohol. He thought of his mom. How would she have danced to a rhythm like this? She would have surely looked the most beautiful in this room filled with people moving awkwardly. He downed the last of his gin and decided to join the crowd, starting to move with them, feeling every beat flow from the top of his head to his feet. He knew people were starting to watch him, he had inherited his mom’s gift after all; he didn’t mind the attention, moving was just something natural to him. As he turned around he noticed Kibum staring at him with wide eyes; Taemin locked eyes with him and stopped his dancing to go meet him.

‘Hey,’ Taemin shouted over the music. ‘Do you want to dance together?’

Kibum stared at him for a second before shaking his head. ‘Fuck that.’ Taemin followed Kibum’s intense gaze as it moved down to his lips, knowing well what the other was thinking about. Taemin slowly moved his face closer to Kibum, turning his head to whisper in his ear, lips brushing lightly over the earrings and soft skin. ‘What do you want to do, then?’

Taemin felt Kibum grab onto his arm, dragging him through the crowd and out of the room to a secluded bathroom hidden at the end of a dimly lit corridor.

Kibum pushed Taemin against the door as he locked it and finally crashed his mouth against him, hands caressing all over his chest as they hungrily entangled their tongues.

‘God, I want you so much.’ Kibum groaned as he moved to the side to kiss Taemin’s jaw and down to suck on his neck, making Taemin hum at the pleasant sensation. 

‘I know.’ he chuckled, his hands exploring Kibum’s back, fingers feeling the soft texture of his blazer. He moved his hands to Kibum’s chest and grabbed onto the blazer’s lapels, helping Kibum slide out of it and throwing it carelessly on the floor. 

‘You were teasing me the whole time, weren’t you. You demon.’ Kibum realised, going back to kiss Taemin’s lips as he chuckled in agreement. Kibum’s hands travelled down to cup Taemin’s ass, sending electricity through his spine; Taemin grabbed Kibum’s waist bringing their crotches together, grinding his arousal against Kibum’s evident one in his tight pants, drawing a moan of pleasure out of him.

Kibum’s hands moved to easily unbutton Taemin’s pants and open his blazer, which left his chest exposed. Taemin did the same for Kibum, first unbuckling his belt and finally setting Kibum’s erection free as he slid the zipper down together with his underwear. Kibum sighed in Taemin’s mouth as they brought their cocks together, Taemin taking the lead in pumping them faster as he felt Kibum’s quickening breath. He slipped his free hand under Kibum’s pants to caress his behind, finger sliding in the crack of his ass, teasing his hole; Kibum held onto Taemin’s shoulders tight as he came hard with a groan, his white fluid spilling all over Taemin’s chest. Still breathing hard, Kibum leaned in to kiss Taemin briefly before dropping to his knees. Without a word, he took Taemin’s cock in his mouth, who moaned loudly at the new hot and wet sensation of Kibum’s tongue and lips working up and down his hard shaft. It didn’t take long before he reached climax, Kibum gulping his cum down with an expression of bliss, as if he was tasting the finest of wines.

Taemin joined Kibum on the floor, sitting down to regain his breath, and they both started giggling as they took notice of the mess they had made. Kibum leaned in and kissed him languidly; Taemin could taste himself in Kibum’s mouth, and the thought sent sparks down his back.

‘I think we should go back to the hotel, what do you say.’ 

Kibum smiled against his lips. “I agree.’

*****

When Taemin woke up the sun was already high up in the sky, the bright light of day inundating the room. He pulled the covers off, walking naked around the room to look for something comfortable to put on, between Kibum’s branded fashion mess. He finally found a simple pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt to put on and looked out the window onto the riverside view; the street was buzzing with tourists and cars. Taemin looked at the clock on the wall⎼ it was well past one in the afternoon, which explained the busy people outside who must be rushing for lunchtime. He sat back down on the bed, admiring Kibum’s sleeping face and the lean curves of his back that peeked out of the covers.

They had spent most of the night having sex, which had been great but also more exhausting than he expected. Taemin smiled as he recalled all the pretty faces Kibum could make as he filled him, and as he was filled by him. Kibum had even trusted him to control his mind to experiment how an orgasm would feel in that state; he wasn’t sure how well that worked out, but it had been interesting and Kibum had been very cooperative.

He delicately caressed Kibum’s hair and his cheek, then traced his finger along his shoulder. Kibum shifted, waking up at the ticklish sensation and gave a small smile when he saw the perpetrator. Taemin leaned down to give a peck on Kibum’s lips, lips that he felt he must have kissed a thousand times already.

‘Ugh, demon breath. Go wash your teeth before doing that.’ Kibum said, shoving him away as Taemin giggled.

‘I’m hungry.’ Taemin said. 

‘Well, get some food then.’ Kibum replied, sitting up on the bed. 

‘And how do I do that?’ Taemin asked, at which Kibum laughed softly. 

‘Pick up that phone over there and dial the numbers on that paper there.’ Kibum looked at the clock briefly. “Ask for two brunch specials, we should still be on time. It’s really good.”

They decided not to go out; Kibum had work to do on his laptop, and he showed Taemin how to use the television. Taemin was immediately intrigued by the loud shows, and spent a few hours switching from channel to channel, forgetting the time. When he looked out the window next, the sun was already hiding behind the lowest buildings on the other side of the river.

‘The sun is already setting at this hour, uh. And the days are only going to get shorter from now.’ Kibum said, noticing Taemin at the window. ‘You want to grab dinner downstairs?’

‘Sure.’

They dressed up casually and took the elevator down to the ground floor, where the hotel’s restaurant was located. The big room appeared elegant in its antiquated fashion, with golden reliefs on the wall and high chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and Taemin sat down staring fascinated. Again, Kibum ordered for the both of them, this time making him try some classics of French cuisine and Taemin ate well, although something about how quiet Kibum was being, was bothering him. He figured Kibum would tell him eventually, so he just focused on enjoying the food.

‘So…’ Kibum started casually, “have you decided what you’re going to do next?’ 

‘...Eh?’ Taemin was confused at what Kibum meant with his question.

Kibum dipped his fork into his dessert cake, grabbing a bite. ‘I have my plane back to Seoul in the morning, you know.’

‘Ah,’ Taemin pondered for a second. ‘Well, I don’t need a plane to travel, it’s alright.’

‘No, you don’t understand,’ Kibum blurted, averting his eyes. ‘You can’t come with me.’

Taemin was left speechless for a moment, surprise evident in his eyes. 

‘Eh, why?’

When Kibum looked at him again Taemin wasn’t sure if his expression was that of sadness or pity.

‘We met each other yesterday… you can’t just come to live with me.’ Kibum sighed. ‘Didn’t you want to learn how to make it on your own?’

‘That’s true, but…’ Taemin was more confused. ‘What am I supposed to do?’

‘You should travel.’ suggested Kibum. ‘You know how to charm people now, it shouldn’t be hard for you to make nice experiences like you wanted to. And you know how to dress reasonably now, at least.’

Taemin could see that Kibum was making an effort to lighten the mood, but a strange pain had appeared in his chest and he couldn’t bring himself to laugh at it.

‘Right.’

‘You can stay tonight too⎼ if you want. I understand if you want to go, though.’ Kibum added.

‘No, I’ll stay. I’ll help you fix your suitcases.’ Taemin offered, and Kibum smiled at him.

‘Thank you.’

When they went to bed, the mood was completely different from the day before. Taemin had suddenly felt like a stranger, and turned his back to Kibum’s side as he searched for a comfortable position. What Kibum had said was reasonable, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit betrayed. Nothing had made him feel as happy before in the Underworld as much as that morning when he opened his eyes to see Kibum next to him. They had been together for a whole day, he had been inside his mind and body, and the world seemed like it couldn’t offer anything better than that.

A hand wrapped around his waist, Kibum hugging him from behind.

‘Baby,’ Kibum whispered softly. ‘I’m sorry. I’m sure you’ll make some great memories during the rest of your journey. The world is so big.’

He didn’t reply.

*****

Taemin stood next to the parked taxi they had used to carry Kibum’s heavy suitcases, watching Kibum’s figure walk towards the rotating doors of the airport.

What were the rules about contacts with humans, again?

*****

Kibum shivered as the late November morning chill of Tokyo penetrated through his light jacket. The sacrifices one had to do for fashion.

The Japanese branch of his magazine had been planning a photoshoot inspired by the museums of the city, and so he had taken his day off to explore some of the places the others had brought up for ideas. Despite its central location, Ueno park was still very quiet at this hour of the morning, with the exception of the few old men who were used to waking up at the crack of dawn to sit down in the park and chat through the day.

Hot coffee in hand, Kibum took his time walking through the park, looking around lazily. He rarely had the opportunity to take it slow when working in Tokyo, but today he felt relaxed and in a good mood. As he approached the National Museum of Western Art to admire the building, something caught his eye. The sculpture of a big black door was standing against a wall placed near the entrance of the still closed museum, its shape giving Kibum a familiar feeling. Could it possibly be the same as…? He took his phone out and googled. Yes, it was the same one. There were multiple copies, this one was a different colour from the one in Paris, though. Kibum found a bench nearby and sat down, thinking. 

It had been over a month, almost two, since then. As soon as he had boarded his plane, everything that had happened suddenly had seemed to be a weird fever dream. He felt as if Taemin’s existence had been only a product of his imagination. There was no way it could have been real. And so he arrived back in Seoul, back to his life and to his dogs; everything went back to normal.

Until he received the pictures from the fashion show⎼ and there he was. Taemin had been real, standing next to him in that crazy blazer that only he could pull off. And there they were in the background of the runway, Taemin’s hand on his knee. He had even gotten butterflies in his stomach at that moment, it was shocking, truly. When had that happened last? Must have been when he first kissed Jonghyun, as teenagers.

He rubbed a hand over his eyes. There was no denying, he had liked Taemin from the very beginning. Even in those weird clothes he had picked for himself. But Taemin was not a creature of this world and had just been discovering everything for the first time. How could he know that Taemin wasn’t just following him because he was the first person to be kind to him? However much he wished he could have kept him around, it just didn’t sound healthy.

Two months had gone. He suddenly regretted not introducing Taemin to the concept of social media. He was dying to know what he was doing now. Had he gone back to Hell? If he stayed, did he find someone else? Was he travelling like he had told him to do? Was he alright?

Kibum got up from the bench, moving in front of the Gates of Hell. 

Taemin was a demon. Demons can be summoned. Did Taemin ever mention summoning? He was sure there was something like that. But how do you summon a demon? Should he buy candles, make a salt circle, cut his palm to offer his blood?

‘Taemin.’ He called out loud. ‘Lee Taemin. Lee Taemin!’ he called, his voice rising in volume each time, not caring for the lone passerby who turned to look at him. ‘Maybe this only works in front of a mirror at midnight. I’ll have to try tonight.’ he mumbled.

‘You want to try what?’

A light voice answered and a familiar face appeared from behind the sculpture. ‘Did you call me?

Kibum’s heart jumped in shock. ‘This actually worked.'

‘Did you start shouting my name without knowing if it would work?’ Taemin laughed. ‘Where are we?’ he turned around to look at the sculpture and smiled. ‘Ooh, I remember this. Did you miss me while looking at it?’

‘Shut up.’ Kibum blushed. ‘We’re in Tokyo, Japan. What are you wearing? Where were you?’ he asked, noticing the heavy snow jacket of a red plaid pattern.

‘Switzerland, love this place. We were just coming back from a day outing in the mountains. Did you know that humans love jumping from aeroplanes? Strange bunch you are, but I loved it too.’

‘Uh? You went skydiving? ...We?’ Kibum felt his stomach drop.

‘Oh, just two friends that I made while travelling. I met them in Scotland last month and they offered me to join them for their next adventure in Switzerland. It’s been really fun so far, they want to go scuba diving after New Year’s.’

Kibum fidgeted. ‘Did you tell them? The truth about you?’

‘No, they think I’m just a kid from a very sheltered religious family that hates technology. I told you, I had no intention of telling anyone else but you.’ Taemin smiled. ‘And it turns out that liking someone as much as I came to like you in the span of just two days is something quite rare.’

Spring might have been many months away still, but the butterflies were having a feast in the flowering meadow of Kibum’s stomach.

‘Have you been to Korea yet?’ Kibum asked, trying to keep his cool.

‘No.’ Taemin replied, beaming.

‘There’s a lot to see there too. And you still have to meet Comme des and Garcon.’

‘Comm- who?’

‘My dogs. I was wondering if you can read animal’s thoughts too. It would be very helpful if you could help me understand what they’re thinking, sometimes.’

‘I'd love to meet them, but I don't know if I can help with that.’

Kibum knew Taemin was teasing him by pretending he didn't take the hint, so he went straight to the point.

‘Spend the holidays with me.’

‘You mean Christmas and New Year's? Okay.’ Taemin answered, smiling. ‘And then?’

‘Well, there's Chinese New Year in February.’ Kibum added.

‘Okay, and then?’

‘There's Easter in spring.’

‘I wanted to see the cherry blossoms in Japan, though.’

‘I'll be here anyway, I'm working with the Japanese branch until late spring.’

‘Okay, and then?’

Kibum rolled his eyes, exasperated, and Taemin laughed as Kibum went up to him to kiss him.

‘Oh, shut your damn mouth!’

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to thank the taemkeyWD GC without whose encouragement I wouldn't have participated, as well as the mintlockets for their continuous support!  
A special thanks to Roob and Somya for putting up with my last-minute scream for help, love you all!
> 
> Did you recognise the clothes they wore at the fashion event?  
It's Taemin's MAMA 2017 outfit+ 161127 Kibum  
As for the epilogue, it's vaguely based on their 190116 looks.


End file.
